mastalia



E. MASTALIA (ALSO KNOWN AS H. MASTLE).

ADVERTISING BOARD OR FRAMEi APPLICATION FILED IUNE I2. I9I8.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

.w M W IIII ll il ||I1| A lm m NINJA E. MASTALIA (ALSO KNOWN AS H.MASTLE).

ADVERTISING BOARD 0R FRAME.

APPLICATION man JUNE 12. 1918.

Patented May 20, 19N).

-imwl x.; y N x w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENRICO MASTALIA, (ALSO KNOWN AS HARRY MASTLEJ OE LEEDS, ENGLAND,ASSIGNOR To HARRY JAMES JOHNSON, OE LEEDS, ENGLAND.

ADVERTISING BOARD 0R FRAME.

Application filed J' une 12` 1918.

To all whom if may concern Be it known that I, ENRICO MAsTALLA, commonlycalled and known as HARRY MAsTLE, residing at 61 Roseville road,Roundhay Road, Leeds, in the county of York, England, and whose businessaddress is 17 Vade Lane, Leeds, in the county of York, England, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to AdvertisingBoards or Frames, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in boards or frames used foradvertising and like purposes of the type in which the advertisingmatter is formed of a number of loose letters, or figures, or numerals,or other symbols or devices,-all of which are hereinafter termed andincluded in the term the letters,-provided with projections or hooks ontheir back portions adapted to fit into transverse grooves formed orprovided in the board or frame. It is particularly applicable to thatclass of advertising board or frame having a transparent or semiopaquebackground, and Open letters, that is, letters which are cut or formedout of sheets of metal or other material and onlyr show their exactShape or outline.

The object of this invention is to provide a portable rabbeted andgrooved board or frame of the type applicable for day and nightadvertising purposes which can be used either in arectangularf-hereinafter termed landscape,-or in an upright position ina shop window or hung upon a wall and having means Jfor automatically orotherwise adjusting and retaining the whole or a portion of the movablestrips,-and letters,in position by springs, and the letters areprevented from working out of position by the vibration of the buildingor passing traflic by the said adjusting medium.

In the dra-wings hereunto annexed are shown means for carrying thisinvention into practice, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation ofrectangular or landscape advertising frame or board;

Fig. 2 a sectional elevation on line A, B, Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 a sectional plan on line C, D, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: an enlarged elevation of a Corner of the advertising frame shownat Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 a sectional plan of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 a part sectional plan of advertising Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented May 20, 1919.

Serial No. 239,525.

frame showing a modified arrangement of spacing piece;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged part sectional elevation of the frame with thebars and loops arranged to be put in a metal U-shaped channel;

Fig. 8 an enlarged kelevation of the strip employed for retaining theback sheet of glass in position;

Fig. 9 a sectional plan of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 an enlarged' elevation of the rods with a number of the loopsthereon;

Fig. 11 an elevation of a loop;

Fig. 12 an edge view of Same;

Fig. 13 an elevation of a plate used in place of a loop; n

Fig. 14 an edge view of same;

t Fig. 15 an enlarged elevation of a cushioning spring;

Fig. 16 are front and end elevations of some of the letters employedwith projections at the back.

Like parts in all the views are marked with similar letters ofreference.

a is a frame made of wood orother material in any desired shape, as, forexample, say, rectangular, and may be used in a landscape or uprightposition, and it is provided with a rabbet b of any suitable depth andwidth in its inner edges at the back of the frame. In the rabbet areplaced two sheets of glass c, cl, one or both of which may 'be eithertransparent or semi-opaque. The front Sheet Z before being placed in theframe is divided into strips, but the rear sheet c is not divided. Thestrips are of suitable width and length which vary in accordance withthe size of the frame and the position in which it is used, and of theletters used, as for example, Va longer strip will be required for usewith la frame in the landscape position,-as shown at Fig. 1,-than whenthe same frame vis used in an upright position. The length of the Stripsin each case is such that they can be placed readily in the rabbets band slide freely therein. The strips are for-med of what is termedground glass, b-ut the whole or undivided sheet,-which forms a removableand detachable background for the frame,-is made of white opaque or opalglass. The undivided sheet c iS placed either near to, or at aconvenient distance from, the rear of the strips 0l.

The two sheets c and cZ originally may or may not be cut to the same ordifferent sizes, but in any case they are made of such a size that theycan be readily placed within the rabbets b. Zhen desired instead offorming the rear sheet c of white opaque glass, as just described, itmay be formed of colored glass, or one or more pieces or strips oftissue paper of the same or different colors is or are fixed by anyconvenient means, such as, say, gum or other mucilage, to the back ofthe white opaque glass, or to a sheet of plain transparent glass. Theundivided sheet terms a stay for preventing the breakage of the glassstrips CZ when placing or removing the letters from the interstices orspaces c', c' between the strips (Z, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The sheet c is retained in a. fixed position in the frame by means of'wooden or other strips f, f which are placed within the rabbet b andsecured therein by the nails g, as shown. Instead of using two separatestrips f, four of such strips joined together at the corners to form asecond frame may be employed for retaining the undivided sheet 0 inposition.

In each portion of the rabbet or recess of the frame a is also formed asemicircular or other shaped groove ZL of any desired size for purposesto be hereinafter described. lIhe groove Zt extends around the foursides of the frame.

rl`he strips of the divided glass sheet Z are adjustably arranged in therabbet Z) at suitable distances apart so as to leave a horizontal spaceor interstice c' between them for the reception of the hereinafterdescribed projections j on the backs of the letters 7c. The horizontalspaces or grooves z' are arranged at the same or varying distancesapart, and the glass strips (Z are, as previously described, made ofsuch a length that they will slide freely within t-he side rabbets ofthe frame a. Pins, or nails, or small pieces of wood are employed andfixed in the centers of the rabbets of the side members of larger framesfor taking the weight of the upper portion of the glass strips (Z, butsuch pins, or nails, or pieces of wood are not shown in the drawings, asthey are not used in frames of the smaller sizes.

The strips are kept in contact with movable spacing pieces bycompensating springs, the said spacing pieces consist of a number ofelongated rings or loops or bands or plates or pieces,-all of which aretermed and included in the term loop Z,which are made of any suitablematerial, such as, for example, say, iron, or steel, or brass in sheetor wire, or in rod or bar form are drawn or made to the gage or sizerequired to form the space between the edges of the strips CZ, or theymay be made of celluloid. The loops Z form distance or spacing pieceswhich are slightly less in thickness than the thickness of theprojections y' on the back of the letters. At Figs. l1 and 'l2 the loopsZ are shown in the elongated ring form, but at Figs. 13 and 14 they areshown in the plate form with two holes Z1 formed therein. In some casesonly one hole Z1 is employed. One or more of the loops Z is or areplaced at or near the end of each strip Z within the rabbet Z), upon oneor more rods ffmas shown at Figs. 6 and 10,-arranged vertically withinthe recess ZL and at a suitable dist-ance from each end of the glassstrip CZ.

In some cases,-though not necessarily so,--the said rods m may beinclosed,-as shown at Fig. 7,-in a vertical metal trough or channel nmade, say, of thin tin, or brass, or other suitable material, and incross section bent to the shape of the letter U. Zhen the trough a isemployed it is arranged to be let into a. recess formed for itsreception in the frame a.' The troughs n are arranged at t-he twoopposite vertical sides of the frame a, and they are arranged to extendthe full lengths ot vthe said sides and be retained therein by anyconvenient means. The rods m are arranged to pass beyond the ends of themetal troughs n and to enter a hole or recess formed for their receptionin the frame a. The ends of the glass strips cZ when required may beallowed to pass within the U-shaped metal troughs a, and they are also1nade,-when a colored groundwork is requiredV-of colored glass or tissuepaper of the required color fixed to their rear surfaces.

To permit of the front face or surface of the glass strips Z abuttingwhen required, but not necessarily so,-against the inner surface of therecessed portion or rabbet of the frame, the rods are passed into therecesses ZL formed in the vertical portions of the frame a. rfhe loops Zare arranged to slide freely upon the rods Im. When two vertical rodsare e1nployed,-as shown in the drawings,-on each side of the frametheends thereof are arranged to be connected together by the loop m1, andthe two opposite ends are arranged to fit into recesses formed for theirreception in the frame ct. Although the rods m in the drawings are shownto be round in cross section it is to be understood that they may be ofany other shape or configuration, and the hole Z1, when the plate formis used, will be shaped accordingly.

The loops Z are placed upon the rods m one above the other with a stripof glass between them. Three ot such loops and two of the strips areshown in position at Fig. 10 between the two rods m. The thickness ofthe loops Z is arranged to suit the varying thicknesses of theprojection j and the size of the letter employed, but in all cases theloops are made a little thinner than the projections j so as to permitof the adjacent edges of each pair of strips d to act as a clamp forholdin the projections and letters in position. y employing loops Z thelabor of fitting the glass strips d into their respective spaces isob-viated and at the same time spaces t can be readily provided in withvthe projections j can slide freely. When the plate rform of spacingpiece Z is employed then one or two rods may be used; in practice it ispreferred to use two rods.

An automatic adjustment of the strips is ,provided for the strips bymeans of springs r, r and they are introduced at each corner of theframe within the rabbets. The springs 1' are made to encircle the barsm, and by employing a spring at each corner of the frame to actrespectively upon the upper and lower edges of the top and the bottomstrips l a uniform pressure is exerted in each direction forcorrespondingly pressing, say, one half of the glass strips l in anupward direction,^and the other half in a downward direction.

In the case of large frames, as previously named, a pin is iiXed in therabbets of the side members of the frame at or about the central spacez' between the rows of strips, in which case the pressure would becontrolled, say, for the upper half portion or rows of the strips, bythe springs at the two top corners, whereby a downward pressure isimparted thereto for pressing them automatically against the just namedpins, and an upward pressure would be imparted to the lower half or rowsof the said strips by the springs at the two lower corners of the frame.The springs are arranged to be inserted in recesses formed for theirreception in the rabbets of the frame a. When the springs are placedupon the rods m they form a cushioning arrangement for the glass stripsas well as retaining the strips against the loops and in contact withthe projections y' on the back of the letters. If the edges of thestrips should be slightly beveled the springs make provision for thesaid edges gripping the projections on the letters. By the use of thesaid springs and owing to their diameter being larger than the thicknessof the strips CZ room is provided,-as shown at Fig. 6,-at the back ofthe strips for the hooked portion of the projections j to pass readilybehind the strips.

The springs vary in length, diameter and strength according to the sizeof the frame and the weight of the glass strips d. The springs will alsoa'ct as a compensating medium in case of a blow being accidentally givento the frame, and they also aid in preventing the breakage of the glassstrips, as well as keeping the projections 4j from working out of thespaces z' by the vibration of the building or a passing vehicle.

The letters IGV-specimens of which are shown at Fig. 16,it is preferredto use are formed of metal or other opaque material, cut from sheets tothe desired shape, and not, as hitherto, painted or mounted upon a metalor transparent background. Each of the letters which a'rermarked withthe reference la are provided at or near the upper edge of itsiback withone or more projections y', as, for example, in the letters F, J, O, Q,and Z one projection is arranged at the back, and for a letter such as Wthree projections may be used.

The letters are cut or formed so as to clearly define their outline sothat when the sign is used in the evening, or at such other time when itrequires to be illuminated from the rear the outline of each letter canbe distinctly seen when placed upon the trans-f parent orsemi-transparent background. A small 1i0fht,sueh as an electric lamp orcandle hot shown in the drawings),will give the necessary illuminationin the dark hours when the shop or other place is open, so that theoutline of the letters can Abe readily discerned from the front of theframe.

A broken strip of glass can be readily replaced by a new one, and theletters readily changed as required.

Advertising boards or frames constructed according to this invention maybe made in such a form as either to be stationary or portable, orarranged as an easel, and when illuminated from the back by, say,electric lights, then the lamp, if so desired, can be arranged to becolored in different portions so as to give a change of color when andas required, instead of, or in addition to, a colored background.

l. A board for advertising purposes, comprising a rabbeted frame, twolayers of glass placed in the frame one behind the other, one of saidlayers being divided into strips and the other layer forming a xedbackground, a number of devices for spacing the said strips so as toleave an nterstice between them, rods on two sides of the frames in therabbets on which the loops are movably mounted, and letters havingprojections on their backs for insertion in the interstices, as setforth.

2. A board for advertising purposes, a rabbeted frame having a grooveformed in the rabbeted portion, an undivided sheet of glass placed inthe frame to form a background, means for retaining the said sheet inposition, a plurality of strips of glass placed in the frame in front ofthe said background, a pair of rods placed within the rabbeted andgrooved portion of the frame on two of its sides, movable devicesmounted on each pair of rods for spacing the said glass strips, lettershaving projections on their backs for entering the interstices betweenthe strips and for suspending them in front'of the translucentbackground, and means for adjusting, retaining and cushioning theletters and strips in position, as set orth.

3. In a board for advertising purposes, a rabbeted and grooved frame, atranslucent sheet of glass placed therein to form a background, means orretaining the said sheet in the frame, a plurality of strips of glassplaced within the frame in front oi its translucent background, andmeans for spacing, retaining, cushioning, and adjusting the strips, saidmeans comprising a pair of rods placed respectively in two sides of therabbeted and grooved portion of the frame, each pair of rods beingunited together at one end, movable devices mounted on each pair of rodsbetween and near the ends of the strips for spacing purposes, a coiledspring mounted on the ends of a pair of rods and near each corner of theframe, and a pin placed in the said rabbeted and grooved portion fordividing the strips into two portions, as set forth.

ENRICO MASTALIA, Commonly called and known. as Harry Maszle. WitnessesW. FAIRBURN HART, ALICE M. TURNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

